Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style
These crockpot collard greens cook low and slow with smoked turkey until the leaves are silky and the broth turns into a rich pot likker. The slow cooker does the long simmer for you, so the greens never scorch and you never have to stand at the stove.
10
servings25
minutes8
hoursTender Southern-style collard greens simmered with smoked turkey wings in a rich, tangy broth. Everything goes into the slow cooker and cooks while you do something else.
Ingredients
3 lb fresh collard greens, stems removed and leaves chopped
1 lb smoked turkey wings or legs
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp butter
Directions
- Fill a clean sink with cold water and wash the collard leaves in two changes of water. Grit hides in the folds, so rub each leaf.
- Strip the thick stems from the leaves. Stack the leaves, roll them up, and slice into 1-inch ribbons.
- Put the smoked turkey, onion, and garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth.
- Pile the chopped collards on top. They will fill the cooker to the brim, but they cook down by more than half.
- Sprinkle the vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt over the greens. Dot the top with butter.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. After the first 2 hours, stir the greens down so they sit in the broth.
- Check the greens near the end. They are done when a thick rib bends and tears with no resistance and the leaves look dark and glossy.
- Lift out the turkey and pull the meat off the bones. Discard the skin and bones, and stir the meat back into the pot.
- Taste the broth and add salt or a little more vinegar if it needs a lift. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 minutes if you want it less soupy.
- Serve hot with a slotted spoon, and ladle some of the broth over each portion.
Notes
- Smoked ham hocks or a few strips of cooked bacon can stand in for the turkey. The greens taste even better the next day, so make them ahead and reheat gently. Store leftovers with their broth in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Serve with cornbread, fried chicken, or black-eyed peas.
Why smoked turkey and a long cook make better greens
Collards are tough leaves. A quick sauté leaves them chewy and a little bitter, but eight hours on LOW in a slow cooker breaks the fiber down until a thick rib tears with no effort. Smoked turkey wings give the pot a deep, salty backbone without the heaviness of ham hocks, and the bones add body to the broth.
The covered lid is the other half of the trick. A pot on the stove loses liquid and can scorch while you are busy. The slow cooker holds steady heat and traps moisture, so the greens stew in their own pot likker and come out silky, not mushy. You stir once after a couple of hours and walk away.
What to buy for crockpot collard greens, Southern style
Collard greens: Buy bunches with dark, firm leaves and no yellow edges. Three pounds looks like a mountain, but it cooks down by more than half. Skip the pre-chopped bags if you can, since the stems in them are often tough and hard to see.
Smoked turkey: Wings or legs both work. Look for meat that smells smoky and is not overly salty, because the broth reduces and concentrates the salt. Ham hocks are the classic swap if you want a porkier pot.
Apple cider vinegar: This is what keeps the greens bright and cuts the bitterness. Add it at the start and taste again at the end.
Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth so you control the salt. The turkey and the long simmer already add plenty.
Brown sugar and red pepper flakes: A small spoon of sugar rounds off the bitter edge, and the pepper gives a slow warmth. Both are optional, but most pots taste flat without them.
Tips for the best collard greens in a slow cooker
Wash them twice: Grit hides in the folds of the leaves. Fill the sink, swish, drain, and do it again. One bite of sand will ruin the whole pot.
Do not drown the greens: The most common mistake is adding too much broth. The leaves release water as they cook, so the liquid should come up only about a third of the way. You want pot likker to sip, not a thin soup.
Stir once, then leave it: Push the greens down after the first two hours so the top layer sits in the broth. After that, keep the lid on. Every peek adds fifteen minutes to the cook time.
Swaps for a lighter, spicier or different pot
For a vegetarian version, leave out the turkey, use vegetable broth, and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a dash of liquid smoke for the depth the meat would give. A few strips of cooked bacon or a ham hock turn it into a richer, porkier pot, and a splash of hot sauce at the end gives more heat.
What does not work is swapping in baby spinach or kale for a shortcut. Spinach melts to nothing in eight hours, and kale turns stringy before it softens. If you want a faster pot, use frozen chopped collards and cut the cook time to about five hours on LOW.
What to serve with Southern collard greens
Put these on a plate with cornbread so nobody wastes the broth. They sit well beside fried chicken, baked ham, smothered pork chops, mac and cheese, or black-eyed peas. Serve the greens with a slotted spoon, then ladle a little pot likker over the top, and keep a bottle of hot sauce and extra vinegar on the table.
Storing, freezing and reheating collard greens
Cool the greens and keep them in their broth in a covered container in the fridge for up to five days. They taste better on day two, once the smoke and vinegar have settled in.
For the freezer, portion the greens with plenty of liquid and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan over low heat or in the slow cooker on LOW for about an hour. Add a splash of broth if they look dry.
Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style at a glance
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 10 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by fresh collard greens, smoked turkey wings or legs, yellow onion, garlic
Tips for Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style
Smoked ham hocks or a few strips of cooked bacon can stand in for the turkey. The greens taste even better the next day, so make them ahead and reheat gently. Store leftovers with their broth in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Serve with cornbread, fried chicken, or black-eyed peas.
Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style FAQ
How long does Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style take?
Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style takes 8 hours of cooking after 25 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style serve?
This recipe makes 10 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Collard Greens Southern Style?
13 ingredients, led by fresh collard greens, smoked turkey wings or legs, yellow onion, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
